It Felt Like Flying
by Belba Sandylows
Summary: It has been almost two months since 31st October 1981. Harry Potter is missing, Sirius Black has disappeared, and the Minister of Magic's secretary must keep a secret that could cost her freedom.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: J.K. owns all.

Thank you tomy beta, FireboltRider.

_**Chapter One**_

The stars were faultless tonight, lingering around the crescent moon like a million candles. They shimmered with brilliance and outshone the street lamps on the street corners. It was silent here except for the cries of an infant bundled in blankets on the cement ground floor in an abandoned building. The snow fell like a white ghost and promised cooler weather tomorrow. Each snowflake sparkled excitedly and joined another on the street and sidewalk to make small hills of snow. A great black dog cautiously trotted in through the non-existent door. A young woman bundled up with scarves a hat, mittens, and an old overcoat followed the deep snow prints. She had been walking on the street and didn't see the curb. She tripped and fell forwards on her wool-covered hands. A sad cry of a baby made her realized she was not alone. Her excessively long scarf trailed behind her aged, brown boots.

"Hello?" she echoed in the building. All her dark eyes could see was a baby and a dog. The Grim-like brute was standing over the baby protectively. She took a step back. "Don't hurt the baby!" she pleaded with the dog. Her feet guided her until she was kneeling over the child. The dog leaned close to her face. It licked her nose. "You're just a big softie, aren't you?" she whispered. Then it licked the infant's face.

The baby giggled and said something that might as well have been another language because the young woman didn't understand. But she was intrigued by a mark under his unruly hair. She brushed her hand over his forehead and gasped.

"You're little, you're Harry Potter!" she breathed in disbelief to the stale, cold air more than to the boy. "God damn it, why are you _here?"_

Shaking hands bundled him in her arms and she hugged him tightly. She stood and searched the floor for any sign of another human being, but the building had been deserted over five years ago and it showed it with crumbling walls and empty spaces.

"You won't find anyone," a soft, male voice clouded her mind.

The woman spun around but she was cautious with the sobbing baby in her arms. "What-what makes you say that?" she choked out. She knew fully well that he was Sirius Black, the traitor and Death Eater.

"I saw his uncle drive him here and leave him," Sirius Black alerted her sadly. "I followed his cries and you followed me."

Her heart thumped loudly. "I didn't follow you." _I followed a dog, _she thought. Then it clicked in her crowded mind that he was an Animagus. "An illegal one," she whispered. She could recall all of the Animagi that century and Black's name wasn't one she remembered.

"Ah, do you get it?" he asked.

She didn't reply.

His handsome face fell. "I don't want to hurt you and I don't want to hurt Harry. Believe me. I want to keep him safe—"

"And give him to your Death Eater friends!" she erupted. She looked surprised at her sudden outburst and Harry Potter began to cry again.

"Shhh, Harry," she tried.

His foggy green eyes stared at her. "Mama?"

The woman shook her head and Black strangled a sob. "Let me hold him," he pleaded. She stepped back. He looked away sadly and pulled out his wand. She was frightened he might curse her but she was surprised when he tossed it near to the doorway.

"Please?" he implored.

His eyes saddened her. They were grief-ridden and desolation appeared to have just moved in with no intention of leaving. Her heart twisted in agony. Her arms shook as she handed him the baby. Why was she handing him to one of the most dangerous men to walk the solid earth? Was she being sensible or stupid and kind-hearted? But the way Black held the baby boy against his chest made her melt in confusion.

"He's probably cold," she remarked.

"What is your name?" he asked at the same time.

"Adams, Cecily Adams," she said.

He kissed Harry Potter's forehead and Cecily Adams could see tears roll down his cheeks. They glistened until they froze.

"Paf," said Harry, reaching up and touching Black's face. Black smiled.

"I love you, Harry," he whispered.

"Love, Sirius," Harry's little voice said.

Black laughed and looked up at Cecily. "That's the first time," he explained. "The first time he used my real name and the first time I've heard him say that he loves me."

"You are his godfather," she admitted quietly.

"Yes, how did you know—?"

Cecily took a few steps forward. "I'm a secretary to Cornelius Fudge, the new Minister of Magic and I hear most everything."

"Oh," said Black. "So, are you going to turn me in?"

Cecily's teeth chattered in response. She didn't know _what _to do. Should she turn him in? But he looked so sincere...and Cecily was so trusting and she knew it was one of her faults. _I don't want to turn him in! I know I should but I just can't! Besides, he's—or was an Auror! Do you _really _think I _could _turn him in even without a wand? By God, let this be the right decision! _

"No," she whispered. She took a step towards the door. Was she going to run for it? Her heart thumped. She couldn't run from a situation like this! She'd be fired—_But I'm just a secretary! _She reasoned.

"Black, please don't make this harder than it already is. Tell me. Are you guilty?"

"What?"

Cecily closed her eyes. "Are—you—guilty?" When she opened them, Sirius Black's grey, powerful eyes struck her with such a force she had to step backwards.

"No."

"Are you a Death Eater?"

"No, I'm not. I'd rather die."

Cecily breathed. The cold, silent air filled her lungs. She had never realized how difficult and yet so easy it was to take a breath in weather so cold it could freeze the tears in your eyes. She liked the way she could see it and then it would disappear suddenly. Once she took off her mittens, the icy wind raced through her pale hands like wild mustangs. She reached out and wiped Black's frozen tears from his face with her thumb.

"I've never seen a man cry before," Cecily told him. "It's not a bad thing to do, you know."

Sirius Black caught Cecilia Adams' eyes one last time. Cecily's smiled faded slightly. Silence began to paint a story of understanding and peace. Fear paced in Cecily's mind but in her heart was confidence. Still was the wind, dying. The stars were applauding without a sound from their position, unseen from inside of the aging building. Not even the harsh breathing of their bodies broke the silence nor the soft sniffles of the baby in his arms. Cecily could not take her gleaming eyes from Sirius Black's shimmering orbs. She could not form a single syllable.

It was Sirius Black who broke the silence. "It's not as cold as it was before."

But he did not break the moment.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all but Cecily and her family.

Thank you to my beta **Fireboltrider** and **tattva** for being my first reviewer.

**_Chapter two_**

Cecily's heart was beating like war drums. Her hands were limp in Sirius Black's cold, dry grasp. Dry was her mouth, as dark was the night. She could hardly speak.

"My flat is just a few buildings down. We can talk in the morning," she whispered. She slipped her frostbitten hands from his and slid on her frayed mittens that her mother had knitted for her when she was fifteen. Her eyes suddenly avoided his gaze.

"In the morning, right," Sirius agreed quietly, placing Harry into her arms before striding to the door and scooping up his wand. Cecily walked passed him. He seized her arm. "Do you trust me?"

Cecily smiled. "No. Follow me."

The snow was falling like a downpour of rain. It was beautiful to Cecily's eyes. The spot where she had tripped and landed on the sidewalk was almost completely filled up. The wind blew, howling like a pack of wolves to a harvest moon. It swept the snow into their faces. Atop the lampposts were inches upon inches of white pleasure. The street sparkled with it, dancing upon layers and layers. Cecily caught Sirius's eye and they both plowed through the snow, never breaking their gaze.

Cecily's flat was very old, but very handsome. A fire was roaring in the fireplace and it smelt of jasmine and...home. It was larger than one would expect because it was charmed to be like a small house inside the blue door. There were three dark, maroon chairs and a sofa in the middle of the room with old, wood flooring underneath them sitting peacefully in front of the fire. An elegant chandelier was hanging from the ceiling, right in a spacious hall, across from the door. From the den was a stove and a sink, a refrigerator, and a round table making up the kitchen. There were at least twenty cupboards and drawers filled to capacity, the floor there sporting the same old wood as was the rest of the flat. Sirius whistled.

"Well, you live nicely," he said.

Cecily blushed. "My mum lives across the hall and she spies on my door. She'll probably come over in the morning once she senses I'm awake. She paid for all of this to bribe me to live near her. I have four—three brothers and sisters and they all live out of the country."

Sirius smiled half-heartedly. Cecily covered a yawn.

"Would you like to take the couch with Harry or should I?" she asked.

"I will," he said, accepting the sleeping baby from her tired arms. She stretched.

"All right. Let me—" She pulled out her wand but Sirius quickly stopped her.

"All I need is a blanket," he said.

"There's one at the end of the sofa," Cecily beckoned. Her eyes darted to an itchy-looking, blue and white wool blanket. There were a few small holes in it made by toes and fingers from restless nights. "It's softer than it looks," she added.

A long silence followed while Cecily watched Sirius hold the baby boy to his chest, murmuring words that sprung tears into her eyes. Her eyes lingered on him then they darted to the kitchen.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

Sirius smiled. "There is _never _a time when I'm not hungry," he said.

Cecily wondered briefly while staring at him whether or not she was being intelligent for inviting him into her home. His eyes betrayed him. He was no criminal. Was this how innocent people were deceived by others? By grief in a man's eyes? Or was it his words that captured even the hardest of hearts? Cecily didn't know...but she did care. She was going to get to the bottom of all of this. She would not die careless.

"Well," she replied. Her eyes glinted. "I don't have much."

Harry fidgeted a bit, but remained asleep. Cecily suggested putting him on the couch to rest. Sirius hesitated but eventually agreed and followed her to the table.

"Don't worry," Cecily assured him. He looked wary. "He's fine. We can see him from here."

Sirius took one last long stare at the couch and his shoulders eased and his eyes relaxed. "I don't know why I'm so worried. Well...that's a lie, I do know why."

"Why?" she asked. She stirred the tomatoes in the soup she made for her and Sirius.

"Because—" he paused. "Because his parents died and it was my fault."

Cecily's exhausted face stared back at her in her soup bowl. "I know." The words she spoke did not sound right, even in the back of her mind.

"No, you don't. I didn't betray them. I swear. But it is my fault they're dead," Sirius said. He stared, glossy-eyed in Harry's direction. "It was Pettigrew."

Realization dawned on Cecily's face. She understood now. But how? Hadn't someone been overlooking the Fidelius Charm being performed? Wouldn't Albus Dumbledore have known? "You switched," said Cecily. "Without telling anyone. And you were right to do so. Everyone thinks you are—were the Secret Keeper."

Sirius gripped his scorching tea mug in his hands, ignoring the burning pain that was soaring through them. "I was stupid. I should have known he was the traitor."

Cecily plucked his hands from the mug. "You are going to burn yourself."

Sirius showed her his red hands. "I already have."

Cecily didn't want to talk anymore. She wanted to crawl into bed and hide forever. Had the Ministry of Magic been wrong this entire time that Sirius Black wasn't to blame for the murders of James and Lily Potter and the attempted of Harry Potter? Her mind was swimming and she was so tired. She was sure her excuse in the morning for listening and believing him was "I was tired and I didn't know any better." Sure, she was exhausted, but she was still plenty awake.

"I thought we were going to talk about this in the morning," said Cecily. "I'm awfully tired and you—" She studied him. His eyes were drooping like hers and he fought to keep them open. "Well, so are you."

"Why were you out so late?" he asked. Cecily was startled at his question.

"I was," she began. She had gone out on a 'date' with a very tedious man who liked to share stories of his infant niece, which sounded as if she only slept and ate by the way he told his stories. "I went out on a personal outing with a...friend."

Sirius cracked a grin. "I'm not Fudge, or your boss. You can just say 'I was on a date.'"

"I was on a date," Cecily repeated.

"Well, that explains why you were out late." Sirius glanced at a wall clock that read 12:05 A.M. "It must have been a rather boring date."

"I'm tired," she interrupted, spilling some of the contents from her soup bowl onto the table with her abruptness as she stood.

"I am too," Sirius said in her same manner, grinning.

"I'll see you in the morning...Sirius," Cecily said softly. Sirius kissed her hand.

"Thank you, for believing in—"

"Oh, hush," she scolded. She snatched her hand back. "Goodnight."

o o o

"CECILY! CECILY! I KNOW YOU'RE UP! HAPPY CHRISTMAS!"

Her eyes flew open and she sat up like an ironing board and stiff like her date last night. She liked her second date a lot better—

"CECILY! OPEN THE DOOR!"

Cecily groaned and glanced out of her room at the blue door. Her mother knocked so loudly Cecily would be surprised if the landlord didn't come up and try to shut her up.

"I'm coming, Mum," Cecily called. She tripped out of bed and landed on her knees. She stumbled to the couch and stared down at the very-awake Sirius Black.

"Well, good morning, sunshine," Sirius said cheerfully, hugging Harry to his chest. Cecily rolled her eyes.

"My mother," she explained. "Happy Christmas, Sirius—"

"CECILIA! OPEN THIS DOOR!"

Cecily groaned. "I'm coming. Hold on."

Mary Elise Adams was a peculiar woman. She was very stylish and she was a mad chef, but her sharp tongue was constantly out of control. Cecily often wondered why her father hadn't kicked her out of the house with her unusual use of vocabulary in such a vulgar way in his direction. But he had loved her with such a passion like no one else could. It was a pity he died. But the way the young widow barged her way into the flat made Cecily crack a grin.

"Happy Christmas, Mum."

Mary kissed Cecily on the cheek. "Happy Christmas, Cecie—dear. I'm surprised. You woke up much later than you usually do on Christmas."

Cecily blinked and retorted, "I had a busy night."

"Ah, that's right. How was your date—?"

Mary stopped in mid-sentence. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted Sirius holding Harry on the couch with Cecily's wool blanket wrapped around him.

"Cecily, is there something I should know?" asked Mary, staring at Sirius. The floorboards creaked as she rocked side to side on her feet. Cecily wished she could jump back into bed and sleep until the next day when she realized she would have to explain everything to her mother. She coughed in her throat and flopped down on one of her dark maroon chairs.

"Yes, mum, there is," she replied.

Mary sat. Her back was stiff and her legs were crossed as she stared at Sirius in confusion. Her eyes widened. "That baby isn't _your _child, is it, Cecilia? Were you fooling around at Hogwarts?" Mary looked scandalized and Sirius laughed.

"No, no, Mrs.—" He glanced at Cecily.

"Adams."

"—Adams. I wouldn't even think of vandalizing your daughter, I swear. This is my godson, Harry Potter," Sirius explained.

Mary looked taken aback. Her mouth dried considerably but she managed to ask, "Who are you?"

Cecily immediately answered. If Sirius answered, Mary might wonder if her daughter knew who he was, but if _she _answered then she would know that she knew.

"Black!" Mary stood. She searched for her wand in her red, Christmas-y robe but was distressed to remember she left it on her kitchen counter in her flat.

"Mum, it's alright," said Cecily softly. She reached out and touched her mother's shoulder gently. "It's Christmas, relax."

Sirius rose to his feet slowly. He let Harry settle into the couch and he held out his hand. Mrs. Adams looked at it warily but shook it.

"It's very nice to meet the mother of a beautiful woman. I see where she gets her looks," Sirius said lamely.

Cecily blushed. It was an overused line, but the way Sirius said the ridiculous phrase made her turn a deep red. A glance at her mother told her that Mary felt the same way.

"Thank you, I guess," said Mary, avoiding his eyes.

Sirius kissed her hand.

Cecily steamed. Was he charming her mother too? Did he like her like that? She was afraid to admit it, but Mary was a very attractive forty-five year old woman. She could pass for a much younger age if she wanted to.

"How about breakfast?" Cecily asked through gritted teeth. Why was she upset? Even if Sirius _did _like her mother in some strange way why should she even _care _about him? _Because you fell in love at first sight last night, _part of Cecily mocked herself. _Idiot woman._

Mary looked at Sirius in wonder. "I suppose we'll be sharing Christmas this year?" she asked. Her voice didn't make the comment rude or nasty as Cecily had expected. Mary walked into the kitchen area and began to pull pans from the cabinets and eggs from the refrigerator.

"That's right," Cecily growled.

Sirius's grey eyes sparkled and it made Cecily want to smile. "Do you not like your mum?" he asked.

Cecily shook her head. "I do, but she gets on my nerves sometimes."

"Ha! Meet _my _mother. Then you can say if your mother gets on your nerves or not." He paused. "Never mind, _never_ meet my mother."

o o o

Christmas, for Remus Lupin, was a sad affair. It held too many memories of the four most important people in his life who were gone forever. Two dead, one gone, and the last a traitor. Christmas began for him at dawn, but it was hard to believe it was Christmas. It was the first year he had ever spent it alone without his friends or family and he was consumed by his grief and yearning for them. There were no gifts under his gloomy little tree. The 25th of December was just like any other cheerless day he had endured since almost two months ago and he didn't expect anything more.

He made tea for himself and sank down into one of his bright red overstuffed chairs that James and Sirius bought him for his birthday last year. They said it went great with the décor of his house. Remus doubted that they even understood the meaning of 'décor' because the walls and carpet were all a deep shade of blue. He still hadn't bothered to change the color of it even now when he had all the time in the world. Remus smiled at the memory of James and Sirius. But the thought of Sirius still angered him. _He _was the reason why Christmas was so lonely. Was he the reason Peter disappeared too? It didn't make sense that Sirius would be responsible for that too, would it? Peter's apartment was bare, as if he'd packed everything, and Remus knew that if it took that much effort to kill him, Sirius wouldn't bother. Sirius was a smart man. Remus knew that he wouldn't draw more suspicion to himself than necessary.

A consistent tapping on the window reminded Remus of the present. He jumped and spilled hot liquid over his hands. Well, it hadn't been strong enough anyways. He stumbled to the window and let the owl in. He recognized it immediately as a Hogwarts' owl. Now what was wrong?

_Dear Remus,_ it began. He knew it was from Albus Dumbledore. His handwriting was distinguishable from anyone else he knew. And besides, who else would write?

_I do hope I am not disrupting your Yuletide spirit but I do not know if you've heard or not. Harry Potter is missing. The Ministry has already questioned Harry's aunt and uncle and they have informed us that they have abandoned the boy. The location they placed Harry has been searched thoroughly, but his whereabouts are still unknown._

Remus closed his eyes and reread the paragraph. How could the Dursleys _abandon _their own nephew?

_There is a very large chance that Sirius Black has taken him. I must warn you, the Ministry of Magic will question you. But answer truthfully. I will be there, do not worry. _

_Merry Christmas,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

o o o

Cecily and Sirius ate until they couldn't and Mary was still piling eggs and bacon and pancakes onto their plates. Even Harry looked full.

"Mum, you have to stop," Cecily groaned.

Mary raised her eyebrows. She was half finished scooping half a pan of eggs in front of Sirius. "Are you full?" she asked.

They both nodded.

Sirius tilted his head back and glared at the ceiling. "I think I lied. I'm not always hungry."

Cecily pushed her plate away. "Thanks, Mum, breakfast was..." she covered her mouth as a belched eased back into her stomach. "...filling."

Mary smiled and began to clean the dishes.

Cecily and Sirius made small talk, even though she hated small talk. It wasn't until he began to talk about his years at Hogwarts did the conversation turn interesting. He had her in stitches, and they both laughed at the Marauder's silly pranks and ideas that could have gotten them expelled in a heartbeat. The fun ended suddenly when an owl tapped on the den's white framed window.

Cecily sighed and let the owl in. She read it and her cheery spirits sunk.

Mary looked in from the kitchen, appearing concerned. "What is it, Cecie?"

"Something big at the Ministry. I have to go in. The minister needs me," said Cecily.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all.

Thank you to tattva, Phyre's child13, MasterLupin117, Kate, and Lady (I don't know if your review was negative or positive but thanks for reviewing anyway!) for reviewing!

And even more thanks to my beta, FireboltRider!

_**It Felt Like Flying**_

_Chapter Three_

"Cecily seems to trust you, doesn't she?"

Sirius blinked. "Yes, she does." He took a large gulp of water.

"I don't understand. You betrayed your best friends. Why would she place her trust in someone who would kill her for his own life, Black? Tell me, as soon as her back is turned, will you place an Unforgivable on her?" Mary Adams pressed, scrutinizing the younger wizard's eyes. He sat back in the kitchen chair and watched her silently.

"I did not betray them. I'd die sooner than hurt James or Lily. Peter Pettigrew—"

"Don't you lie, Black. Say one thing that isn't true and I'll call the Ministry and have you locked in Azkaban for life. Understood?"

"I do, and I promise I won't. Look, I wasn't the Potters' Secret Keeper. Peter Pettigrew was, damn him. James Potter told Dumbledore that he wanted me to be Secret Keeper, and I agreed at first, but when I realized that I would only be obvious, I suggested Peter Pettigrew. Almost a week after the Fidelius Charm was performed, Pettigrew betrayed them and-and—you know the rest."

"I certainly do. Remus has told me plenty," said Mary Adams.

Sirius dropped his jaw and shook his head as if coming out of a trance. "Remus Lupin?"

"Oh yes, my nephew. In fact, I invited him for Christmas meal tonight. The past year has been very hard on him...his parents and friends dying," Mary shook her head sadly. "Very hard on all of us."

Sirius's heart thumped harshly. Remus would be here tonight? _He'll curse me on sight. He'd never believe I didn't betray James. Why should he? There was evidence even before it happened. _Sirius could just imagine Remus's betrayed look as he stared at his old friend, wand at the ready. Tears sprung to his eyes as he realized that their friendship was utterly doomed.

"Do you still believe I betrayed the Potters?" Sirius asked quietly.

"Not anymore," Mary said.

The young Black narrowed his eyebrows. "You were very suspicious just a moment ago. I told you my story and you just go ahead and believe me? I mean, it's true, but aren't you being a bit too trusting?"

"And you are a bit too apprehensive. My dear boy, I am not a foolish woman and I know the truth when it is told to me," Mary said. Her eyes were amused.

Sirius bit his tongue softly and glanced at Harry who was bathing his fingers in milk that had spilled only moments before. He didn't quite trust Mary Adams to believe his story so quickly. Her eyes were still hard and confused and he knew it wasn't safe for Harry and him. The foolishness of having faith in a known criminal caused Sirius to sit on the edge of his seat. What was up this woman's sleeve? He shoved his hand gently into his pocket and fingered the wand inside. Mrs. Adams certainly was not trustworthy. He had to leave.

As if on cue, Harry began to sob. Sirius and Mary both stood up abruptly, shaking the wobbly table.

"I'll take care of him," Sirius offered, snatching his godson into his arms. Mary nodded but her hands were twitching. He stared at her with fright and he edged away from the table. "I'll be right back. I'm going to take Harry to—the—washroom—excuse me—"

Sirius backed into the bathroom with his godson and sighed, locking the door as quickly as he could. The heaviness of the situation weighed on his mind as he cooed Harry quietly. Was Mary Adams a Death Eater? It was certainly plausible and yet strangely absurd. Her daughter, Cecily, was plainly not but he could not be sure about Mary. The way her hands convulsed when he retrieved his godson was unsettling as was the glare in her eyes that had been present from the moment he was introduced to her earlier that morning. She was distant and cold with an uninterested gaze, yet piercing and grave. Sirius eyed the walls and wondered subconsciously whether or not Cecily had put wards up. He glanced at the door and suddenly his eyes darted to the window. His foot stepped forward, twisting itself in the rug below and he plummeted to the cold floor. Harry giggled.

"Yeah, _you _think it's funny," Sirius growled softly. The baby ceased his chirps but a grin lingered on his little face. A weak knock announced itself on the bathroom door.

"Sirius, are you alright?" Mary asked from outside.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. So is Harry."

"If you're sure—"

"I am."

Sirius heard her feet shuffle away across the floor and moaned gently. "We've got to get out of here, Harry," he said. His eyes closed as he thought deeply. The flat he had owned was out of the question as was the Ancient House of Black. Had it been two months before, he would have chosen Godric's Hollow, to Lily and James's home. But now, there was only Remus Lupin, and the 'vanished' Peter Pettigrew. It was clear now that Sirius had Harry; he had to confront Remus about what had happened in the past eight weeks. He sighed deeply and imagined the werewolf's tiny home, with the ridiculous furniture that he and his three friends had picked out.

After a long, apprehensive look at the door, not five minutes later, Sirius and a dizzied Harry stared at Remus Lupin's undersized house with a sense of familiarity. As long as they were away from Mary Adams, Sirius was content. And so, he began to trudge through the snow to the door.

* * *

"You can't be serious." 

Cecily's jaw dropped as she realized (and much to her aggravation) that the mountain of letters, hate mail, and Howlers were hers for the sorting.

"The Minister said he trusts you with this important 'decision making,' you know," Margaret said, her eyes glinting evilly. "It's too bad you have to stay here all night to finish."

Anger surged through Cecily but she straightened her blouse instead of strangling her least favorite person in the Ministry of Magic. "It's not too bad," she said sweetly, plastering an incredibly fake smile upon her red face. "Besides, I'm quite sure with more work and less complaining I'll certainly get a raise."

"But don't count on it," remarked Margaret. She smiled nastily and sauntered away making sure her heeled boots clunked loudly across the worn floor. Cecily blinked and scuffed her own foot against the ground in frustration.

And behind the desk, Cecily sat staring at a menacing, red Howler. Her trembling hands picked it up slowly and broke the seal. The effect was so monstrous she fell from her chair, covering her ears desperately. Screams gushed from the Howler, scolding the Minister for the 'consistent shameful happenings.' Then, as if it were some sort of trigger, all of the Howlers upon her colossal desk exploded into a humongous cloud of black smoke, scorching most of the non-screaming letters and leaving dark burn marks upon the oak wood. Strong arms seized Cecily and pulled her away from the destruction, both of them coughing and wheezing hysterically.

"Cecily, are you alright?" breathed Remus Lupin, wiping black dust from his younger cousin's forehead.

Cecily nodded. "Yes-yes, I'm fine. But really! Howlers should be outlawed! Look what they've done to my desk!"

Remus's face was sodden with ash as he rolled his eyes. "Be thankful that's the only thing they destroyed," he said.

Cecily pulled out her wand and pointed it towards herself; under her breath she muttered a quick cleaning charm. The dark remains of the Howlers disappeared from her face and clothing and she smiled.

"Takes care of the work I almost had to really face," she shrugged, picking up a burnt letter. "This Harry Potter and Sirius Black business has gotten the Ministry in an uproar and _everyone _here has to deal with it!" Cecily covered a knowing smile. Her teeth gripped the inside of her cheek and the taste of blood crawled along her tongue. She was awful at keeping secrets, but this one was too important to spill, even to Remus. Instead, she coughed and asked, "What brings you to the Ministry?"

Remus rubbed his pale and tired face with a shaky hand. "Well," he began, "because I know—knew Sir—Black and my place was searched earlier today while I was put under questioning."

Cecily put a hand to her mouth. "Are you—okay?"

"I'm fine, just a little—" he slipped from his position of leaning on the desk onto the floor. "—tired."

The secretary gave a startled laugh and helped her cousin from the wet floor.

"Thanks," Remus murmured, brushing water off the backside of his shabby robes. Cecily was ashamed to admit it, but he certainly did have the scruffiest clothing and was astounded her mother tolerated such wear in her presence. The young witch blinked the look of pity from her dark eyes. He didn't want her to feel sorry for him, and she wouldn't for his sake.

"I would invite you for tea," Remus started, "but I'm sure your mother is still expecting you. After all, it is Christmas."

Cecily shrugged. "No, she won't be expecting me for a few hours. I told her it was urgent and I might be here a while." _Besides, _she thought, _I'm sure Sirius wouldn't mind spending some more time with mother. And I can't very well say no to Remus!_

A small smile crept into the werewolf's features. Cecily could see relief crawling over him and he visibly relaxed. The poor man was spending Christmas alone for the first time since the 31st of October. At least she could warm up his awful holidays with her company.

"Let me tell the Minister I'm leaving," Cecily said before poking her head into the big office. "Minister?"

The latest head of the ministry looked up startled at his secretary and replied cautiously. "Yes?"

"Is it all right if I leave? The letters I…was going to give to you caught on fire from the Howlers."

"Yes, alright, please do. Enjoy your Christmas."

"Thank you, sir."

Cecily clicked the door shut and seized her oversized coat, mittens, and scarf. She smiled smartly at Remus as the heels on her boots clunked quietly against the floor.

"Shall we leave?"

Remus returned her smile genuinely. "Of course."

* * *

Sirius Black almost silently shut the door to his last best friend's cottage. He was most surprised when he was not arrested on the spot and was even more astonished that the Ministry of Magic was not guarding Remus Lupin's home from any intruders, like himself. Harry was quiet as if he knew he should not to be heard. The small living space was empty except for the tawny owl perched upon the back of the hideous red and yellow chair. Sirius snorted in memory. The Marauders had picked out the most unattractive furniture for their member's home last summer. _Gryffindor colors! Can't go wrong with that!_

Oh, but you could.

The Animagus carried his godson to the sofa and rocked him gently against his chest.

"Finally somewhere we know, right Harry? We can be comfortable for a little while. Even if I go away, you can still have Moony. Besides, he's a much better godfather than I am. He'll keep you safe," murmured Sirius. He wondered faintly if he'd see Cecily Adams again. She was trusting but also cautious, and he smiled at the thought of her. Maybe she wasn't as pretty as many women, but she had a charm of her own. It was her eyes. The emotions displayed within her deep brown orbs were haunting but beautiful. And it was a great wonder why she did not have a significant other…

Sirius shook his head. He hardly knew her and already he was dreaming about her eyes. He glanced back down at Harry. His eyes were again drooping steadily. _Poor kid, _he thought.

Sirius lingered on the couch, watching his godson fall asleep. And when the Boy-Who-Lived had completely dozed off, the older wizard smiled gently.

Suddenly, loud voices thundered from outside.

Sirius slammed to his feet and his heart hammered painfully against his chest. Remus Lupin was home with a companion—or someone. He didn't stop to think of who it might be, but charged for the broom closet he knew was not far and quickly closed the door. A tiny spark of relief spread to his legs when Harry did not stir. But the worst was not over yet.

What had he been thinking when he decided to come to Remus Lupin's home? Would the werewolf actually be 'glad' to see him? No, most definitely not! And _now, _now he had someone with him!

From outside the closet, Cecily observed the interesting chair and sofa. What would possess _anyone _to purchase such disgusting furniture? _A Gryffindor, _she chided herself.

"Make yourself comfortable," Remus offered. Cecily nodded and sat delicately upon the chair.

Something felt…out of place. She had never been to her cousin's home before, but there was not a sense of unfamiliarity. No, quite the contrary. In fact, Remus stiffened visibly too.

"What is it?" Cecily inquired.

The werewolf scrunched his nose as if he was smelling the air. The witch leaned forward.

"He's here, or he has been."

She was startled by Remus's words. Did he mean—? No, why would Sirius have left? Unless he truly was a Death Eater…but that just didn't seem likely…did it? What about her mother? Was she alright?

"Who?" She asked, afraid of the answer.

"Sirius. He's here. He still is. And…Harry, he's here too," Remus said. His few movements were rigid and Cecily was instantly worried. Could werewolves trace scents so easily as the wizard before her?

Cecily darted to her feet as Remus began to search frantically through his tiny cottage for the convict and his godson.

"Remus, please calm down," she beseeched.

The werewolf stopped tearing apart his home abruptly and looked at his younger cousin sadly. "I'm sorry, Cecily. I—"

"We will look calmly, alright? It wouldn't…it wouldn't do to be worked up like this," she pleaded.

Remus murmured an agreement. In a moment, he shuffled his feet quickly but quietly towards the broom closet. The scent of Padfoot was so strong here and it overwhelmed the wolf inside him with joy and betrayal. His hand reached for the knob and he wrenched the door open.

Cecily stared motionless at Sirius Black and his godson in a strange trance. She had assumed that she would see him in the near future, but like this was so odd. The pain and fear in his eyes made her want to cry, and when she glanced at Remus who was gripping the door handle she nearly did.

Still in a kind of stupor, she walked almost silently toward the closet but before she could say anything, Remus stopped her with his hand.

"I want to know the truth, Sirius. And I deserve it."

Sirius opened his mouth to speak though no words emerged. But from his desolate eyes, a tear streaked down his face.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you, **FireboltRider** and everyone who reviewed!

**_Chapter 4_**

Cecily turned away. It was not her place to watch. It would never be right for her to be involved in something she was not supposed to.

The sadness on each of their faces was so clear and heart wrenching. As the witch began to retrace her steps toward her coat, Remus stopped her.

"Don't leave, Cecily, please." He didn't look at her, but she glanced at him. In some way, he must have known the truth about Sirius as he eyed him in wonder because his voice was calm and he hadn't dived for his wand.

Cecily shut her gaping mouth. "I-I won't." She averted her eyes toward Sirius Black and glared with all her might. "How dare you?"

"What?"

"That's right," she said, forgetting the intense moment. "How dare you leave my home when I-I-I…I let you stay in my flat! And then you just leave? And then…and then—_what did you do to my mother?_ If I find you harmed her in _any _way—"

Sirius's eyes widened considerably. "Cecily—you don't understand. I didn't do anything! It was _her!"_

"What did you do?"

"Nothing, I swear!"

"Cecily, you let him stay at your flat? Are you insane?" Remus demanded.

Cecily's voice raised a great deal as she exclaimed, "I think I would have to be! I can't believe I could be so stupid and I—oh, Harry—"

The baby began to wail loudly from the thunderous voices of the adults surrounding him. Each one's face softened as they stared apologetically at the infant. It was such a sad fact that his second Christmas was one of suffering and unhappiness. Cecily wished she could have changed it all for this tiny little boy. He continued to cry, tearing at her heart agonizingly with each sob and tear.

"Here, Moony, hold him. You know how to calm him," Sirius offered. Remus blinked. The tired werewolf gave a very small smile and he embraced the baby boy with love.

"Sirius—I want to know—"

"Do you think I could have done something so disgusting to-to James? To Lily? To _Harry? _I am sick at the thought of anyone so cruel to do _anything_ like that."

Remus didn't look up, but he let Sirius slip from the closet. He passed the calmed baby to Cecily and muttered, "Would you take him upstairs to the room on the near left?"

Cecily looked at him confused but nodded and scurried from the site. Her ears were still open, listening for more information, but the men's voices were hushed. She sighed and journeyed up the stairs. They creaked with age and gravity. Her legs were exhausted from excitement and her eyes drooped almost as much as Harry. _That kid is the sleepiest child I have ever encountered! He could sleep all day if he wasn't bothered! _Maybe he was sick. Cecily inhaled deeply at the thought. It would be awful if he had gotten ill - just terrible.

As she reached the top of the stairs, she wondered briefly if the Minister would believe all this. Everything that had happened in the last day and a half was insanely incredible. Who would even begin to consider her to be so stupid? _Why couldn't I have acted like usual? Or just taken Harry and left? I would still be in a little bit of a mess, but not this big!_

The room Remus had mentioned was magically spacious. Cecily gave a snort at the décor; it was a Quidditch themed area with three large beds and a crib. The wall was decked with photos of Quidditch players who zoomed from poster to poster on the latest brooms.

The room seemed untouched for some time. Each bed was unmade as if the last occupants had just rolled out of them and never given it a second thought. Cecily peered into the crib and grinned. Below her was a blanket and four stuffed animals representing a wolf, a rat, a dog, and a stag. She set Harry in the crib and despite his tiredness, he squealed in delight and recognition.

Immediately he snatched the little stag and hugged it close. He muttered something so quietly that Cecily had to lean in. "Daddy," he said. The young witch took a step back. What did he say?

Still clutching the stuffed toy, Harry closed his eyes and promptly fell asleep. Cecily awkwardly watched the boy sleep. She was tired too, but it couldn't have been five o' clock yet. What was she doing? Harry couldn't take a nap now! He'd never sleep through the night!

But she was too, what she thought, weary to wake him. Instead, she turned and chose the bed closest to the door and sat upon it. She let her thoughts wander, and the voices downstairs flooded through her ears, making absolutely no sense at all. It didn't really matter, because whatever was going on must have been progress…she hoped. Cecily lowered herself so her back was leaning against the pillow.

The plans for Christmas had been damaged. Remus clearly wasn't going to make it to Mary Adams' flat for supper, and Cecily was certainly not contacting her date from last night but it didn't matter. Today was a new beginning for everyone and especially Harry Potter.

_And Mum, _Cecily mentally scolded her mother, _don't you dare ask where I've been._

8o8o8o8

"Cecily, wake up. Now… Wake up…now. Are you ignoring me?"

The secretary inhaled deeply. Had she _really _fallen asleep? Where was she again? Ooh, the pillow smelled so good…who—?

She sat up with a gasp. A thud boomed and a throb erupted in her head. "Ouch," she moaned, clutching her hair.

"Well, I can't say _that _didn't hurt," drawled Sirius Black from beside her. Cecily blinked sleep furiously from her eyes until they focused on him. He held his own head in his hands and she realized her mind felt as if it had been scrambled and her vision was blurred.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. Sirius was clearly developing a headache, but he grinned broadly. "Oh dear, what have I done?"

"I feel so…special. You chose _my_ bed over James's and Peter's."

Cecily formed an 'o' with her mouth. She looked to her side for a clock but found none. "Is it still Christmas?"

"Just barely. I thought you'd like to see its last limbs. But don't get too excited: there's only a few minutes left," said Sirius.

"Thank you for waking me, anyway. I cannot _believe _I fell asleep. And Harry, how could we have been so stupid to have put him down for a nap so late? Honestly, you'd think I'd have known. Or you, especially—"

"Oh, stop being such a mother," he teased. His grey eyes danced with mischief.

"How's Remus?"

"It's amazing, really. The man's a lunatic. Pulled out the liquor as soon as he was sure that I was telling the truth."

"Is he okay?" Cecily implored.

Sirius rubbed the back of his neck. "Sort of. He's sleeping off his alcohol consumption on the couch."

"Why are you still up? Shouldn't you be drunk or something?"

"I should be, but I guess I'm making up for lost time from not drinking."

Cecily gave a sigh and squirmed from the bed. "I really should be going," she said.

Sirius jumped quickly. Maybe he wasn't so sober after all. "Why?"

"I don't know," she replied almost silently.

Sirius reached for her hand. "Stay here?"

"I really wish I could, but…my mother will have sent out a search party by now. I don't want her to worry. She worries too much about me. She'll be alone and she hates to be alone. I'm just going to go home and sleep. I'll be back in a little while. I'm already in a lot of trouble—my mother and the Ministry are probably going to kill me. I should just go. I'm ruining everything. I'll grab my things. Just tell Remus—"

Sirius placed a finger gently upon her mouth. Cecily stared at it and whispered an apology. He placed another finger on her lips and Cecily immediately quieted. She felt her stomach lurched in pleasure from the touch of his warm palm over her face. His hands were cracked and dry. She wanted to kiss them a million times and heal every cut. _What am I thinking? _she demanded herself.

"You talk too much," he muttered.

Cecily felt her lips push out the words, "I'm sorry."

Sirius removed his fingers and smoothed her hair. "Always sorry, aren't you?" he asked. "Don't apologize."

"I'm…" Cecily stopped herself. "I'm going home."

"Please don't."

Cecily sighed deeply. Well, there wasn't too much harm in staying here. Remus would have some extra company in the morning, wouldn't he? She made sure an eye roll could be seen.

"I won't. All right? I won't."

"Thank you," whispered Sirius. He kissed her forehead gently. "Thank you. Besides, a hung-over werewolf can never be dealt with alone, can he?"

"No…no, of course not."

"And what if he changes his mind about me?" He asked her nose.

"I don't know…"

Cecily's eyes watered. His steamy breath upon her skin warmed her insides. Without warning, he leaned in so close that their noses were almost touching.

"Sirius, I don't think—"

"Shh. Just let me enjoy this before you push me away," he breathed. A lock of hair fell gracefully into his eyes. His face glowed in perfection and his lips were brilliantly chapped. A familiar feeling washed over Cecily that she had not experienced for several years. She wanted him to kiss her deeply and hold her in his arms forever. What was taking him so long? His eyes were radiant in thought. Was he having second judgments?

Well? "Kiss me," Cecily ordered.

"Not yet. I will sometime. Just not yet."

Cecily knew he was right, but all of a suddenly she wanted his lips on hers. Trailing a finger along his jaw made her sad for a moment. No, it was not the proper time for anything inappropriate.

"All right," she said. "But it will happen?"

"It's unavoidable."

It certainly would. For the next couple of days, Cecily's eyes hardly ever left Sirius's. They were kept to the confines of Remus Lupin's cottage, but it was often that Cecily and Sirius took walks together through the trees. Every day, they both agreed that nothing should happen, that their mouths should be kept to themselves. It never stopped Cecily from imagining her lips under his, of course.

Remus was not blind or stupid. He was bound to notice _something _between the two of them. Sometimes he would walk in when their noses were too close and awkwardly step back to where he had come from. Not that he minded too much; he had company for once. It was wonderful not to be alone.

The truth of Sirius Black's innocence was difficult to fathom at first, but after careful consideration and a great deal of explaining, Remus changed his mind. Ever since Peter Pettigrew disappeared over a month ago, he'd been extremely saddened. Without anyone to truly care about, he talked to his Aunt Mary. He spilled everything to her about the betrayal despite his knowledge that she was almost a convicted Death Eater. But now he was a bit skeptical of her and made sure he didn't make too much conversation.

"How shall I plead your innocence?" Cecily asked Sirius as they trudged through the snow.

Sirius sighed. "Well, we'll have to get try to get a legal hearing."

"Why not just Veritaserum?"

"Because some wizards have built up immunity to it and others know how to trick it. The Ministry knows that. Veritaserum makes a wizard tell the truth and if someone honestly believes a lie is the truth, that's what he will speak."

"You'll need some sort of legal attorney, won't you?" said Cecily.

"Unless we catch Pettigrew first."

"But that's certainly not guaranteed. We'd need someone good. Like…"

"We need Dumbledore."

Cecily smiled. "That man can do anything, can't he?"

Sirius said, "It sure seems like it."

As they wound their way around snow covered trees and fallen branches a few words were exchanged. Cecily was mentally writing a letter to Albus Dumbledore and hoping it didn't sound stupid. He was a man whose presence almost demanded respect. The twinkle in his eyes instantly warmed her. Cecily couldn't remember one time when she didn't stutter to him, awed by his talking to her.

"Stop," ordered Sirius.

"Why?"

He retrieved his wand and held it out before him. "Shhh."

The bushes rustled loudly and fear immediately coursed through Cecily. The leaves began to part and slowly inching out was a…

"Look! A rabbit!" squealed Cecily. The furry white animal made to hop away as soon as its eyes caught the humans before it. But, it was a strangled sort of leap because one leg was twisted in an odd angle and bleeding. "Oh, no! It's hurt!"

Sirius rolled his eyes and grabbed it by the scruff of its neck. "Might as well put it out of its misery."

Cecily's jaw dropped. "No!"

"Why not?"

"You can't just _murder _an innocent animal for being injured! That's like-like—"

"Like what? Would you rather it suffer in its own pain, or put it to rest?"

Cecily stomped her foot. "Give it to me."

Sirius eyed the rabbit and handed it to Cecily.

"I will take care of it and nurse it back to health," she said. "Besides, it's already proven its worth, hasn't he? I mean, he hasn't died of fright."

"Ah yes, the noble rabbit of Gryffindor," said Sirius.

"Indeed." Cecily lifted it slightly and checked its underside. "It's a boy."

"Male."

The witch ignored him. The two humans and rabbit began to trace their steps back to Remus's cottage.

"What is that?"

"A rabbit, Remus Lupin," scowled Cecily, carrying her new prize to the kitchen.

"Wolves eat rabbits," Remus said.

Cecily turned sharply and dizzied the hare. "You wouldn't dare."

"Just keep it—" Sirius began.

"Him!"

"—keep _him, _away from here during the full moon."

Cecily hugged the rabbit to her chest. The furry mammal huffed loudly in pain as she squished his injured limb.

"What do you expect to do with it?" asked Remus.

"Nurse it back to health."

"It would just be better to—"

Sirius was gesturing to Remus as if to say, "Shut up."

Harry, who was sitting impatiently in Remus's arms, peered at the animal in curiosity, intrigued by its sudden appearance. Its long ears were odd and the nose never seemed to stop twitching.

"You see this, Harry? This is a rabbit. It is cruel to murder them," Cecily said.

"What about people who eat rabbits?"

Cecily raised her eyebrows one at a time. "That's different. They eat rabbits to live. You're just going to kill it for the sake of…killing it."

Sirius scowled and bit back a rather rude response. Instead, he let the words, "if that's how you _want _to think about it, go ahead" drip quietly from his mouth. Cecily only fixed her chin in a rather snobbish position towards the ceiling and said, "Hem."

Over the next few days, Cecily ordered Sirius to take care of the rabbit while she was at the Ministry. Fearful of the suspicion that he might eat it, the young witch refused to let Remus come near the animal. Her free time was spent writing down lists of names that would suit the rabbit and his white fur. She became quite upset when Harry consumed one of her hard-worked lists.

"Frederick," Cecily said.

Sirius stared down at the rabbit. "Doesn't suit." He felt sorry for the rodent. A red bow was tied around his neck while he desperately tried to scratch it off with his large foot. Cecily mentioned earlier that the precious rabbit looked just darling all dressed up.

"Fuzzy?"

The wizard gave a sigh. "Why not?"

Cecily grinned in appreciation and snapped her fingers. "Fuzzy! Come here, Fuzzy."

_She'll be lucky if it doesn't eat her tongue in her sleep with that name, _Sirius considered thoughtfully. Fuzzy didn't seem to mind much, but he still pawed furiously at the bow around his neck.

"Fuzzy!" Harry giggled towards the rabbit.

"That's right, Harry, Fuzzy!"

Harry chirped the rabbit's name once more and Sirius felt the corners of his lips twitch into a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I am COMPLETELY sorry for the lateness of this chapter. My beta and I have been delayed in writing and editing lately. Have no fear, I am nearing the completion of chapter seven now and I'm sending six out to be edited. Thank you for your beautiful patience!

It Felt Like Flying

Chapter 5

Cecily was worried. For two days, she paced her flat waiting for her mother to appear. Where could she be? Both apartments showed no evidence that someone had been there for at least three days.

"Cecily?" Sirius asked, brushing ash from his robes.

Cecily stomped her foot. "You're notsupposed to be here! If the Ministry finds any trace of you, they'll think you had something to do with the disappearance of Mum!"

"About your mother—Cecily—she's…"

"Yes?"

"She is a Death Eater."

For a moment Cecily only stared, dazed by the sudden disturbance. She felt like biting the wall.

"My mother? _My mother?_" said Cecily in disbelief.

"The Ministry…you see…she's…in Azkaban."

The witch stumbled back in horror. How? _How could she be in Azkaban? _She wouldn't last a week! How did the Ministry find out? Cecily couldn't believe any of it.

"How did you find out?" she demanded. Her face was twisted in betrayal as she glared at the floor.

Sirius reached inside his robes and pulled out the current Daily Prophet. "Got it this morning."

Cecily read it in a gripping shock. Her hands shook terribly as she read a list of Death Eaters thrown in Azkaban that week. She wanted to scream when the name _Mary Adams _reached her eyes.

"I need to leave," choked Cecily. Her gaze swayed across the room. Sirius steadied her noticing a slight jolt in her legs, hinting that she might just faint.

"You're not going anywhere but back to Moony's. Look, you just need to relax—"

Her eyes filled up. "My mother is a Death Eater! I want to see her! How could she do this to me? I don't believe this. All the lies, the secrets...why? Why did she become one of _them?_ How could she be someone so repulsive?"

Sirius didn't answer. He looked at her gently, as if he was considering some sort of reply with difficulty. It was as if whenever he made the effort to settle Cecily, his words floated so tenderly through her ears and calmed her to a rest. She was pleased he was mulling over a clever and respectful response, but wished he could at least hurry it up.

While he was gathering his thoughts, Cecily's tears were falling silently and steadily from her dark eyes as she cursed out her mother and her stupid mistakes.

What angered Cecily the most was her mother's choices. She wondered whether Mary had made a mistake—maybe she had joined the Death Eaters for what she believed in. On the other hand, she could have been forced…but Cecily couldn't bear to reason that her mother had told her many times before how she disliked muggle-borns learning in Hogwarts like the other witches and wizards.

"Say something," Cecily implored. She sniffed.

Sirius looked down at her. "My mother isn't a Death Eater, but she hates me. Least yours appreciated you."

Cecily twisted her face in revulsion. "At least she hasn't ever lied to you." She uncoiled his arms from her body and stepped back. "At least she never deceived and betrayed you."

"Your mum wanted to protect you—"

"And you're defending her! Look, I know you liked her and all, but defending Death Eaters doesn't appear smart to prove your innocence!" Cecily said before adding, "I'm leaving. And don't you dare follow me."

She passed Sirius and strode to the door, yanking it open in a curt manner. "I will see you tonight," she murmured and slammed the door behind her.

Sirius sighed deeply.

Cecily was confused, staring up at her building and waiting for Sirius to come after her. Where was he? He was supposed to follow her! Maybe he actually believed she wanted to be alone, but she could hardly consider that. It was obvious she needed support right now; was Sirius that ignorant not to notice?

She began to walk, ignoring the frigid air. A car hustled by. The buildings slumped and growled at her. Her mother, her _stupid _mother was most likely sitting in an Azkaban cell, waiting for rotting death to pierce her handsome face. The thought, although it satisfied her restless mind, made an ill feeling in her stomach.

The sound of a dog huffing behind startled her. But she knew it was only Sirius in his Animagus form. He trotted up beside and nuzzled her hand.

Cecily sighed and rubbed his ears, producing a small smile at his amusing doggish grin. "I didn't think you'd actually follow me, like I told you not to."

Sirius grunted. He tugged on her coat with his monstrous jaws, beckoning an unpleasant looking alley.

A moan escaped her lips. "No, Sirius. Not in there."

But he insisted.

"Fine, but if we die, it's your fault."

He became a human and grasped her hand. His hair was disheveled and circles appeared below his eyes. A soft grin lit his face to a strange happiness.

"It'll be hard," he said. Cecily nodded impatiently. "But I promise to make everything better."

"You can't promise that."

Sirius winked. "I'll find a way." He carefully supported her head with a strong hand and leaned in. His lips paused before hers. "Don't tell the werewolf."

In a second, he kissed her gently. Cecily stood limply against him with her arms hanging pathetically by her sides. _You're kissing me! _she wailed silently. _Don't stop, don't stop, DON'T STOP! _Sirius pressed his lips firmer against hers and when she thought he was about to go further, he ceased.

"That was just a sneak preview."

Cecily was stunned. What a bastard! Although in the back of her mind, she knew his promise to make everything better could never be broken.

* * *

"Hello, Emily. I assume you've heard about Mum. Too bad, right? Yeah, so I'll be seeing you later!" Cecily said to the oldest sister of the Adams clan.

Emily squealed in delight. The baby she balanced on her hip wailed, but she was able to seize Cecily into the house. Cecily mentally growled.

A stampede of children charged into the foyer with grins. They clawed at their aunt like monkeys begging for gifts and stories. Emily did her best to shoo them from her youngest sister.

"Well, what'd you expect, Cecie? You haven't visited in _years!"_

"Years, well…you know how time flies—"

Emily was a rather hyper woman with the priorities of six children, and now, one baby. Her eyes were slightly crazy with excitement and her dark mane of hair was disheveled as if she hadn't combed it in months.

She always wanted children, and Cecily could produce several memories of her sister advising Mary Adams on how to parent her and the other siblings. Emily enjoyed cutting up everyone's food, nice and tidy (and safe) and demonstrating good sharing skills. She was a woman that never rubbed any of her high energy on you, instead sending you into a world of hugs and loud comments on your hair.

After shaking off a herd of wild children, Cecily followed her flouncing sister to the kitchen for cold tea and rather unpleasant biscuits. Emily giggled senselessly even as she put the baby on the floor to frolic with a few shiny pans.

"I guess you've heard about Mum?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Oh _that_ woman?" She wasn't quite fond of her mother. "To tell the truth, Cecie, we all knew about her being a Death Eater and all."

Cecily gave her a strange look. "What the hell—"

"Cecie!"

"What the _heck?_ You never told me? Why the hell not?"

Emily looked around frantically to make sure none of her children had heard the 'naughty' word repeated several times. Again, she rolled her crazy eyes.

"You were really attached to Her, and we had no hope of you not becoming a Death Eater—"

"But I didn't!"

"True, but the way things were going with you…well…you know. She went when You-Know-Who killed Dad and Martin."

Cecily certainly did not want to remember the terrible day when she learned of her father and her older brother, Martin's murder.

"Why?" asked Cecily.

Emily leaned in. "Because she's insane!" Her eye twitched twice.

Cecily pulled a face and thought, _Because that doesn't run in our family._ "She must have thought she could protect the rest of us or something."

"But she's still insane!" said Emily, splashing tea across the carved and crayoned table with a jerk. Cecily was suddenly very aware of her sister's own lack of sanity.

"Yes, Emily, yes," said Cecily. Now she desperately wanted to leave, for Emily's nose was twitching madly and the baby on the floor seemed to want to waddle (actually crawl, but it was more of a waddle-crawl than anything else) to the next room.

Cecily crossed her eyes and pretended to squint across the kitchen. A fearful look washed over her face before she boomed, "Madeline, get _away _from that stove!"

As Emily jumped to fetch the child (who wasn't really even there), Cecily dashed for the front door.

Emily sighed loudly in relief. She stared at Cecily's unoccupied chair and shrugged.

"Why does that always happen to me?"


End file.
